Textile element

ABSTRACT

A planar, flexible textile element that is suitable in particular as a baby sling, made of at least 90% natural fibers and/or fibers produced from natural fibers, and having a mesh structure.

The invention relates to a planar, flexible textile element according toclaim 1.

So-called baby slings are known in the industry. They are made of apiece of cloth that is usually rectangular (i.e., a planar, flexibletextile element), typically having dimensions of approximately 450 by 50cm. The textile element in question is generally made from a relativelytightly woven cotton, since it naturally must have a certain tearresistance.

The object of the present invention is to provide a planar, flexibletextile element that in particular is also suitable as a baby sling, andthat has improved properties to this end.

This object is achieved by a planar, flexible textile element having thefeatures of claim 1. Preferred applications of such a planar, flexibletextile element are set forth in claims 10 through 14, it beingemphasized that a planar, flexible textile element of this type may alsobe used in other areas of application, in particular as part of a babycarrier.

According to the invention, the textile element has a mesh structure. Inparticular when used as a baby sling or as a so-called swaddlingblanket, this results in numerous advantages over the prior art. Themost important advantages are that the mesh structure, due to itsstructure, imparts a certain elasticity that may greatly increasewearing comfort for the child as well as for the carrier. In addition,the open mesh structure allows ventilation of the body parts underneath(here as well, for the child and also for the carrier), which likewiseresults in greatly improved wearing comfort.

Such a planar, flexible textile element may be manufactured in varioustechnical processes such as weaving, knitting, crocheting, or warpknitting, with weaving generally being the preferred process, in whichcase the textile element is a woven fabric. Since the planar, flexibletextile element has a mesh structure, in principle it could also beknotted, although this is generally not preferred.

The mesh size of the mesh structure, which is defined here as themaximum length of a mesh, is preferably between 2 and 5 mm. This meshsize is selected so that on the one hand sufficient ventilation isprovided, and on the other hand even the small fingers of an infant areprevented from penetrating through the textile fabric or getting caughtin it, which of course could be hazardous.

As mentioned above, a key advantage of the textile element according tothe invention is its breathability resulting from the structure, whichin particular counteracts excessive perspiration. To further promotethis effect, it is preferred that the textile element comprises at least50 percent, in particular at least 90 percent, bamboo fibers and/orcoconut fibers or fibers produced therefrom.

It is known that in particular bamboo fibers have an antibacterialeffect, so that odor production is additionally counteracted. Inaddition, overall hygiene is thus improved. The bamboo or coconut fibersmay each be directly spun into yarn threads, from which the textileelement is then produced, or they may also be used as the basis forfibers produced therefrom in the viscose process, from which yarnthreads are then spun. Another advantage of using bamboo fibers is thehigh tear resistance of the produced textile element.

To further improve the elastic, in particular bi-elastic, properties ofthe textile element, it may be preferred for the textile element to bemade partially of elastane, with a proportion between 1 and 3 percent(mass percent) being preferred.

It is further preferred that no further material besides natural fibersor fibers produced from natural fibers, and elastane is used.

When a material mix of natural fibers or fibers produced from naturalfibers and elastane is used, for achieving good elastic properties it ispreferred to use yarn threads that contain both types of fibers.

It is also possible to use natural fibers as well as fibers producedfrom natural fibers in a mix. To attain the skin-friendly properties,the proportion of natural fibers or the proportion of fibers producedfrom natural fibers or of the above-mentioned mix should be at least 90percent by weight of the fabric.

As mentioned above, the preferred application of the textile element isa baby sling or swaddling blanket. However, bed covers or parts of babycarriers may likewise be produced therefrom.

A textile element according to the invention may have a single-layer ormulti-layer design.

The invention is now explained in greater detail based on one specificexemplary embodiment with reference to the figures, which show thefollowing:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic top view of a baby sling, and

FIG. 2 shows the detail D from FIG. 1 in a likewise schematicillustration.

The invention is now described with reference to a baby sling 10,wherein the structure specifically described with reference to thisexemplary embodiment may also be present for other textile elementsaccording to the invention.

Such a baby sling 10 is a planar, flexible (i.e., bendable), generallypliable textile element, and typically has a length l of 450 cm and awidth b of 50 cm, wherein other dimensions may also be meaningful. Thetextile element may be produced in particular by weaving, but also byother processes such as knitting, crocheting, or warp knitting. It isapparent from FIG. 2, i.e., the detail D in FIG. 2, that the textileelement has a mesh structure. This means that in geometric terms it maybe described as being built from mutually parallel first strands 12 andmutually parallel second strands 14, wherein the first strands 12 andthe second strands 14 are not in parallel to one another. In principle,the directions of the two strands may be mutually perpendicular,although this is not the case in the exemplary embodiment shown. Firststrands 12 and second strands 14 meet at intersection points K, so thatin each case four intersection points K define a mesh M. In theexemplary embodiment shown, the meshes are rhombuses whose length L isgreater than their width B. The length of a mesh (i.e., its maximumextension) is preferably between 2 and 5 millimeters. This ensures thatthe finger of an infant cannot penetrate the fabric or even pass throughit, yet sufficient ventilation is still provided.

The same as with any other woven fabric (this also applies for the otherpossible types of manufacture), the textile element is woven from yarnthreads, each yarn being spun from a plurality of fibers. In thisregard, the proportion of fibers that are natural fibers or fibersproduced from natural fibers is at least 90 percent. The remainder ofthe fibers may be elastane. It is preferred that any yarn thread used isa mixture of the above-mentioned natural fibers or fibers produced fromnatural fibers, and elastane, resulting in bi-elasticity of the overalltextile element.

In one preferred example, the textile element comprises 95 to 99 masspercent viscose fibers produced from bamboo fibers, and 1 to 5 masspercent elastane.

1. A planar, flexible textile element comprising at least 90% naturalfibers and/or fibers produced from natural fibers, wherein the textileelement has a mesh structure wherein the meshes of the mesh structurehave a maximum length between 2 and 5 mm.
 2. The textile elementaccording to claim 1, wherein it is a woven fabric.
 3. (canceled)
 4. Thetextile element according to claim 1, wherein it comprises at least 90%bamboo fibers and/or coconut fibers or fibers produced therefrom.
 5. Thetextile element according to claim 4, wherein it comprises at least 90%bamboo fibers or fibers produced therefrom.
 6. The textile elementaccording to claim 1, wherein the textile element comprises at least 1%elastane.
 7. The textile element according to claim 6, wherein thetextile element is bi-elastic.
 8. The textile element according to claim6, wherein the textile element is made solely of natural fibers orfibers produced from natural fibers, and elastane.
 9. The textileelement according to claim 1, wherein the fibers produced from naturalfibers, if present, are viscose fibers.
 10. The textile elementaccording to claim 1, wherein it is a baby sling.
 11. The textileelement according to claim 10, wherein it has a width (b) between 30 and70 cm and a length (l) between 350 and 650 cm.
 12. The textile elementaccording to claim 1, wherein it is a swaddling blanket.
 13. The textileelement according to claim 12, wherein it has a width between 70 and 150cm and a length between 70 and 150 cm.
 14. The textile element accordingto claim 1, wherein it is a bed cover.